


Not My Future (Part 3)

by QuietDarkness



Series: Simplicity and Complexity (Harrisco) [43]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-09
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2019-03-29 04:24:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13919304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuietDarkness/pseuds/QuietDarkness
Summary: Months after losing both Harry and Cisco, Maggie is coming to terms with living in a world without them. But this dangerous new world may spell the end of more than anyone can imagine...'Opposites don't just attract. They catch fire and burn the entire city down.'(Part 43)





	Not My Future (Part 3)

'Why... why would you show me that?! No more!'

_'The future is not set in stone; it can be changed.'_

'How?! How can _that_ be changed?'

_'You already know. You can stop her, save Harry.'_

'How... he... even if we stop her, he's already been poisoned, he's going to... to die. I can't stop that!'

_'I've given you all the tools you need for that. But that's not all there is. There's more.'_

'You're not making any sense. What more?'

_'This future is dark, terrible, even beyond what you've already seen... and it starts at a single point, with a single person. To know where to begin, you must see how it ends... no matter how painful the watching will be...'_

'I already know where it starts! With Mirabelle Routhe!'

_'A personal future does, yes. But the future of all meta kind on your Earth? That starts somewhere else. And the end of it all... begins right here...'_

* * *

Maggie couldn't stop staring at it.

It almost didn't seem real, despite the fact she'd seen it a million times in the past four years. Hell, she'd made it. But standing there in the mostly dark, barely illuminated by the street lights outside, it looked fake. Half-hearted. A shell of what it was supposed to be. 

“He loved that picture. They both did.” Jesse said from behind her, her hand coming up to rest on her shoulder. Her voice didn't sound the same anymore. It lacked the spark it used to have, the brightness. Maggie could relate. She reached a hand up and covered Jesse's fingers with her own. “We don't have to do this today.” Jesse said, moving to press her chest to Maggie's back and wrap her completely in a hug. Had anyone else tried to do that, Maggie would have torn herself away. But this was Jesse. The only family she had left in the world. Hell, in the entire multiverse. She didn't even have Rob anymore. When he found out she was a meta, he ran as fast as his feet could carry him.

“We've put it off for three months.” She sighed, closing her eyes and resting her chin down on the arm Jesse had wrapped just across Maggie's collarbones. “I think the landlord's starting to wonder why I paid six months advanced rent on a vacant apartment.” Jesse was quiet at that. She didn't have to wonder. Cleaning out the apartment meant it really was goodbye. It was easier to pretend, less painful. Part of her wanted to pretend a little while longer, but the rest of her knew she couldn't. Time was up. For everyone.

“Come on. We'll do this part last. Let's... start in the kitchen.” Jesse slipped away far too softly, the loss of her warmth making Jesse shiver slightly. And that shiver only grew when green and blue flashing lights slowly moved by down the street, making both Jesse and Maggie freeze in place and then hunker down quickly. They locked eyes, breathing quietly. There was a reason they hadn't turned any of the lights on in the apartment. It was still considered a 'meta hazard zone.' And if they were caught here, they'd be in more than a little trouble. Hell, they'd be dead. And that was no exaggeration. 

Even after the lights passed completely, they didn't move. Senator Pinsela's death squads, which was the only real word for them, were out in full force these days. Thanks to a particularly stupid meta trying to kill Pinsela on live television, he was able to push his bill through. But he took it a step further. He said he was rounding them up, putting them away for everyone's safety. But the team caught on quickly. They all knew what was really happening. He was killing metas. In droves. And he had the government behind him to keep him safe. For now.

When they finally stood back up, and got to work, they didn't say anything more. They just cleared out what was important. Anything of value to Cisco, to Maggie, taking the picture last. It wasn't till she closed the door behind them that it hit her, that the emotional impact of it all slammed her chest and she had to stop, pressing her back to the hallway wall, hugging the picture frame to herself, blinking, trying just to breathe. 

Jesse paused a few steps away, looking back at her. She didn't say anything. She didn't need to. Jesse understood. She waited for Maggie to get herself together, then they got everything on the elevator and left the beginning and end of Maggie's better life behind... forever...

* * *

“That's four more.” Barry sighed, peeling his hood and mask back as he stepped down, the breach closing behind him to Earth-2. He sighed, running a gloved hand through his hair quickly. “I know I've asked this before, but are you sure about this?” He moved up to Jesse, who was standing near the console with her arms crossed.

“My team has it handled. It's safer for the metas on my Earth, hidden away in my S.T.A.R. Labs till this blows over.” She replied.

“If.” Maggie sighed, pushing up from where she was sitting on the steps. “If this blows over.” Which they were all pretty doubtful that it would any time soon. Despite good metas like the Flash, Kid Flash, Jesse Quick and Electra, the city was still pretty much a war zone. The team when in full gear might have had a free pass for the time being, but all the other metas? Well, they had targets on their heads. 

“We can't think like that. The M.R.A. isn't going to let this stand for long.” Iris piped in, walking up to Barry. The Meta Rights Administration had grown exponentially, especially in the last several weeks, ever since they'd begun spreading -secretly- the news that the Senator was having metas exterminated. “There are two more congressional hearings this month.”

“You saw how well those went last time.” Maggie frowned, reaching between her legs and grabbing her backpack. She tossed it around one shoulder, getting her arms through the straps. She couldn't help the agitation, the feeling of helplessness with the whole situation. People were dying. And they couldn't do much more than hide them on a strange world and pray this all blew over. “I have to get to the University. I have a lecture.” She said, and made her way up the steps.

“About that,” Wally said, stepping easily in her way. He'd already shed most of his suit. She raised a brow at him. “We were, well... all of us were thinking,” he motioned behind her to the others, then made a motion to them like they should totally help him out with whatever it was he was trying to say. She turned, just enough to see the others had gathered near the bottom of the short stairs. 

“What?” She asked flatly.

“Well, Mags,” Jesse moved toward her, “We thought... or mostly I thought...”

“No, we all think it's a good idea.” Barry interjected.

“What is?” Maggie demanded, crossing her arms.

“We want you to go to Earth-2.” Iris finally got out for everyone. And Maggie raised both brows. Then let out a burst of a laugh.

“You're kidding, right?” She asked, then shook her head, arms falling. “No, hell no. I'm part of this team, too. I'm not running away!”

“No one's asking you to run away, Maggie.” Iris said gently, and Maggie shook her head.

“No, you're just asking me to stick my head in the sand while our city literally falls apart. I won't do it. And I can't believe...” she let out an exasperated sound, “How dare you?”

“We're just trying to protect you.” Jesse said, unable to hide the pain in her voice as she came up to Maggie and grabbed her hands. “I've lost Dad. You've lost them both. You and I... we're all that's left!” She exclaimed, and it was sad and angry all at once. “I can't... I won't lose you, too.” That part was said much softer. And Maggie felt herself go still. For a moment, she looked around, at all the faces. The people she worked alongside. The woman she called a sister. And yeah... Jesse was right. They'd both lost so much.

But if Harry and Cisco were here, they wouldn't run. They wouldn't hide. They'd fight. They'd do the right thing.

“I'm sorry, Jesse.” She slipped her hands away. “But I can't.” And without sparing another glance, she turned and quickly left, the sound of Jesse calling her name following her down the hall, ringing in her ears...

* * *

There was so much electricity, it was damn near intoxicating.

Even with both hands firmly wrapped around the transformer, holding it up against the telephone pole with her body for leverage, doing everything she could to pull the energy into herself and not let it swarm around the very wet roadway and the overturned school bus still full of children, it was still far too dangerous for anyone else to get through. Any normal person, of course.

When Barry and Wally showed up, they didn't do much more than nod at her and start clearing out the kids. But a crowd was drawing. The sound of the crash, the rushing water from the broken fire hydrant, the crackling and sparking of electricity everywhere, summoning them like moths to a flame. It was all just in a days work, right? Or should have been. Except she wasn't in her Elecrta gear. She was in her civies. Jeans, a t-shirt and a jacket. And people had their cell phones out, cameras. Which made this bad. Very, very bad. 

But she wasn't going to run away. She wasn't going to stop being a hero just because the Anti Meta Movement might figure out who she is. 

“Flash! Hurry! I don't know how much longer... I can hold this!” She yelled over all the noise, wave after wave of electricity surging through her, boosting her strength enough to keep holding the transformer, but even that wouldn't last. She knew it. Barry knew it. Because he and Wally picked up the pace, which was funny to think of with speedsters. 

They could have cut the transformer, but it was connected to so many wires, so many buildings on the cross street. Who decided that was a good idea?! And with her forcing the electricity to stay put, it was pretty much a time bomb at this point. Not letting it loose to hurt the kids, and now her friends and the crowd, was making it even more dangerous. She knew that. Barry and Wally knew that, too.

“Tell us what to do!” Barry called from behind her. They must have finished with the kids. 

“Get everyone back! When I let it go, it's gonna blow!” She demanded, arms feeling like lead, body beginning to shake at the strain. This was the only time she had super-human strength, when electricity was feeding her like this. But it could also overload her. And she was reaching a terrible tipping point. Barry and Wally sped, running, forcing people back, creating a circular zone of exclusion. And suddenly, her arms gave out and she let go. 

She backed up and fell, the same time the transformer did. It hit the water, sparks flew, bolts of electricity went everywhere. The sound was intense, the feeling of release even more so. But eventually, the transformer died, and silence settled in. 

Eerie, strange, out of place silence.

Barry helped her stand. “Are you alright?” He asked, standing very close to her, eyes on the crowd. And the crowd? Well, they were watching her.

Then clapping.

Slow at first. Soft, tentative. Then it picked up till everyone was clapping, cheering. She let out a breath, shivering a little as the sensation of wet clothes finally caught up with her. “I think... I should go.” She said to him. Wally nodded as he came up beside him. 

“Come on, I'll speed you back to-” but Wally never finished the sentence. Because among all that clapping and cheering, there was a distinct bang. A loud popping.

And Maggie felt... off.

“Maggie?!” Barry asked, sheer panic in his tone, hands on her suddenly, and Wally was speeding off into the crowd, knocking a man on his ass, a gun going flying, the clapping stopping as people screeched and broke apart. But Maggie's chest hurt. She was sure of it. And her legs weren't working quite right. And wow... that felt really warm... “Maggie, look at me!” Barry demanded. But she was staring at the sky now. And then everything was moving really fast till she was looking at the ceiling of the medlab in S.T.A.R. Labs.

“What happened?!” Caitlin's voice. That was Caitlin, she was sure of it. But she couldn't focus, really. Because everything was slowing down now. 

“Someone shot her.” Barry breathed out.

“Barry this... this is bad.” Caitlin said, her tone terrible. That word... terrible... this was terrible, that was terrible. Dying was terrible. That's what this was... Maggie was dying.

“Dad...” she whispered, a single word. But she had to get it out. Harry, Cisco. She needed them here. Both of them. But they were dead. She wondered where that was. What a stupid thing to wonder. Dead wasn't a place, right? But as her eyes closed, and all sensations faded away into nothing, she had a very real notion she was about to find out. 

Part of her hoped it was the same as a picture that used to be hung on a living room wall. A collage of constellations, stars cascading over a dark sky, bright points of light depicting the ones she loved. But stars were really just ghosts, glistening in the forever dark with a terrible need to be seen. And no one would hang that painting now...

* * *

'Stop it! Please, just... stop...'

_'Put the pieces together, Cisco.'_

'Pieces...'

_'You can stop it, you can stop all of it. You can save the metas, you can save Harry and Maggie..._

'How... they're... wait, if none of this has happened yet... you mean...'

_'Oh, Cisco, you'll see. I think, perhaps, it's time for you to wake up now.'_

'What?'

_'Get the alarm, Ramon.'_

'What are you talking about... what alarm?'

_Beep beep beep beep b-_

**Author's Note:**

> (To be continued...)


End file.
